Whitecaps split doubleheader with Lugnuts despite a worn out bullpen

West Michigan Whitecaps reliever Julio Felix made his first career start Sunday. He gave up just one hit in four innings, but got the loss. Courtesy of the Whitecaps

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - Doubleheader can be an ugly word for a tired bullpen. Back-to-back doubleheaders is borderline abuse.

The West Michigan Whitecaps split a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon with the Lansing Lugnuts in front of 3,885 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark.

The Whitecaps won Game 1 on a walk-off single by Jared Reaves in the 10th inning and lost 2-0 in Game 2.

“In the majors, pitchers have more experience pitching back to back,” Whitecaps manager Larry Parrish said. “In the minors you are just worried about them breaking down.”

The win in Game 1 snapped a four-game losing streak, but the Whitecaps (29-33), are still 2-7 in their last nine games.

Parrish was forced to use two relievers in spot starts. Julio Felix started Game 2 on Sunday for his first career start. Felix, a right-hander from Tucson, Ariz., was outstanding through four innings, giving up just one hit - unfortunately it was a two-run homer to Lansing’s Kevin Patterson.

“We didn’t give up a run out of the bullpen,” Parrish said of Sunday’s games. “Pretty good considering every one of them has pitched in the last few days. The bullpen really sucked it up and gave us good outings. And two of those guys gave us spot starts in (Logan) Ehlers and Felix. Both of them did a great job. Lansing got just one hit off Felix - just happened it left the yard.”

The Whitecaps managed just three hits off Lansing starter Roberto Osuna (2-2), who earned the win.

Chad Smith pitched three innings of scoreless relief for the Whitecaps, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out three to lower his ERA to 2.15.

Whitecaps infielder Jared Reaves hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning to win Game 1. Courtesy of the Whitecaps

GAME 1Reaves was happy when the calendar turned to May. The cold weather doesn’t suit the Georgia native, who went to the University of Alabama.

“Being from Georgia, I’ve never played in 34 degrees and snow flurries,” said Reaves, an infielder who hit .200 in April. “You go from being able to hit that pitch and coming here in the cold, you just miss it.”

He’s warmed up since, batting .302 in May and now is batting .264.

“It was good,” Reaves said of his walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning to score David Gonzalez. “Doubleheaders can be very good or very bad. After losing two yesterday, it was good to get the win in the first game today.”

Charlie Gillies has been the hard-luck pitcher on the Whitecaps staff. The right-hander is 0-3, and the team was 0-7 in starts he’s made.

Gillies gave up three runs - two earned - in 5 2/3 innings pitched while striking out three and walking two. Gillies, a 6-foot-2 righty from Castaic, Calif., now has an ERA of 3.03, despite having a team-worst run support of 1.8 per game.

“It looked like Charlie just ran out of juice,” Parrish said. “And we didn’t have enough bullpen to go out and get him. He had to suck it up.”

Angel Nesbitt (2-1) was solid in 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win. Josh Turley pitched two innings of scoreless relief, striking out two batters.

Reaves was 3-for-6 to lead the Whitecaps’ 14-hit attack. Jake Stewart hit his fourth home run of the season in the second inning.

Lansing used five pitchers and Tucker Donahue (2-2) got the loss in relief.

The Whitecaps conclude their five-game series with the Lugnuts on Monday before heading to Midland to play the Great Lakes Loons for a three-game series.